The present invention relates to a novel double deck bus having the combined advantages of a low overall height and a capacity suitable for carrying a large number of passengers.
While double deck buses have long been used abroad for general transportation purposes and, to a limited extent, within the United States for sightseeing within the tourism industry, there are no known double deck passenger buses suitable for carrying a large number of passengers in densely populated large cities. One of the primary limitations which has previously restricted the use of such a double deck bus are the height limitations for tunnels and bridges commonly found around large cities such as New York, Baltimore, and Massachusetts. Many tunnels and bridges have a maximum vehicle height limitation of twelve foot six inches which generally renders known double deck buses unusable.
It is the stated purpose of the inventive bus to operate as a commuter vehicle, shuttling passengers from remote locations into a city for work or other events. Currently, commuter services are somewhat limited with the inhabitants of small communities outlying large cities parking their personal vehicles on a lot and then either riding a train or taking a single deck passenger bus into the city. Commuting by trains is somewhat limited because the trains are obviously restricted to the rail system. While transport by bus works reasonably well, the number of passengers is restricted by overall bus size.
It is desirable to provide a double deck bus having a low enough profile to meet or exceed the height restrictions of tunnels and bridges while providing a high number of passenger accommodations for commuting. Passengers are often on buses or trains for periods of more than four hours a day, total commuting time. Accordingly, it is necessary for the vehicle to be comfortable and passenger friendly. In that regard, a bathroom with plentiful water is preferred. Large windows are provided to allow passengers to easily view landscape and surroundings.
Previously known double deck buses have generally exceeded the preferred total bus height of twelve feet six inches which is a common height restriction for vehicles using tunnels and bridges. Some effort to develop height limited double deck buses has been undertaken. Generally, such efforts have included decreasing the standing height on both the upper and lower decks which results in passenger inconvenience and discomfort. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,455 to Molzon, a double deck bus is described having aisles which are recessed generally downward on both decks with the upper aisle offset from the bottom aisle. The configuration of that bus, however, necessarily limits the number of passenger seats due to wide and meandering aisles. The configuration of the instant bus maximizes passenger seats, provides acceptable head and leg room for passengers and allows all but the tallest passengers to use the aisles without bending.
Finally, the high capacity, low profile double deck bus has a significant economic benefit to operators. Traditional commuter buses have approximately fifty to fifty-five passenger seats. By providing eighty total seats, the operator can generate additional revenue by increasing passenger loads while operating a single bus at standard operation costs with normal maintenance expenses. By adding twenty-five additional seats over a standard bus, an operator, assuming a charge of $20.00 per day for round trip commute, would bring in an additional $130,000.00 per year of operation. Accordingly, the novel bus described and claimed herein provides an economic benefit to its owner and operator.
The present invention provides a double deck bus having an upper passenger deck and a lower passenger deck. It is preferred that the upper and lower decks each have at least seventy-five inch standing headroom for passengers. The overall height of the bus, however, must be twelve foot six inches (150 inches) or less to make it usable in and around large cities with clearance limited tunnels and bridges. To meet the twelve foot six inch overall height requirement and provide seventy-five inches of headroom in both the upper and lower deck, the aisle of the upper deck is offset from the aisle of the lower deck. Moreover, the upper deck aisle preferably forms a channel positioned between two spaced apart rows of passenger seats. The channel is centrally located between the seats along the length of the bus. The channel encroaches generally downward into the lower deck compartment about thirteen inches. It is to be understood that the bus could be constructed with a greater overall height than twelve and one half feet where height is not a concern. This allows more headroom for the lower, upper or both decks.
The lower deck is oriented so that a plurality of rows of passenger seats are positioned along one side of the bus leaving a passenger aisle adjacent the opposite side. This orientation, having the upper passenger aisle medially aligned and the lower aisle positioned along one sidewall of the bus provides the maximum passenger headroom clearance for passengers in both the upper and lower decks. The aisle in the lower deck is at least seventy-five inches high as is the distance between the bottom of the aisle in the upper deck and the bus top. Passengers in the upper deck step upward from the central aisle onto a platform onto which the seats are fastened.
The bus is preferably provided with one stairwell to maximize seating, however, two stairwells could be utilized with one adjacent the driver's box at the front of the bus and one oriented between the drive axle and steer axle of the bus. Multiple doors are generally provided. Three doors are preferable because of the high number of passengers that can ride at any given time, three doors allows sufficient loading and unloading of the vehicle. The aisle in the lower deck is preferably along the side of the bus into which the doors are positioned. This allows passengers utilizing the upper deck to enter a bus door, walk down the lower deck aisle and then access the stairwells without disturbing passengers already seated in the lower deck.
Referring now generally to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the inventive bus is disclosed. As best seen in
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Because the purpose of the bus is generally for commuting, it is necessary to provide a bathroom facility 122 which is best seen in
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While the present invention is described herein with reference to the embodiments illustrated for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility. It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such modifications, applications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.
This Application claims the priority of the previously filed U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/068,730 filed on Mar. 10, 2008 and incorporates that application herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61068730 | Mar 2008 | US |